If you have finished treatment,
your doctors will still want to watch you closely. It is very important to go
to all follow-up visits. During these visits, your doctors will ask about
symptoms, do an exam, and might order blood tests or tests such as radioiodine
scans or ultrasounds.

Follow-up is needed to check for cancer coming back or
spreading, as well as possible side effects of certain treatments. This is the
time for you to ask your health care team any questions or concerns you have.

Because most people do very well
after treatment, follow-up care can go on for a lifetime. This is very
important since thyroid cancers grow slowly and can come back even 10 to 20
years after first treatment. Your health care team will explain what tests you
need and how often they should be done.

Papillary or follicular cancer:
If you have had papillary or follicular cancer and your thyroid gland has been
removed, your doctors will do at least one radioactive iodine scan after your
treatment is complete. This is usually done about 6 to 12 months later. If the
result is normal, you will most likely not need further scans unless you have
symptoms or other abnormal test results.

Your blood will also be tested
for TSH and thyroglobulin. Thyroglobulin is made by thyroid tissue, so after
total thyroid removal and ablation it should be at very low levels in your
blood. If the thyroglobulin level begins to rise, it may be a sign the cancer
is coming back, and further testing will be done. This usually includes a
radioactive iodine scan, and may include PET scans and other imaging tests.

For those with a low-risk, small
papillary cancer that was treated by taking out only one lobe of the thyroid, a
physical exam by your doctor, as well as a thyroid ultrasound and chest x-ray
once in a while is typical.

Medullary thyroid cancer: If you
had medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), your doctors will check your blood levels
of calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). If these begin to rise, tests
such as an ultrasound of the neck or a CT or MRI scan will be done to look for
any cancer coming back.

Each type of treatment for
thyroid cancer has side effects that may last for a few months. Some, like the
need for thyroid hormone pills, may last your lifetime. You may be able to
speed your recovery by being aware of the side effects before you start
treatment. You might be able to take steps to reduce them and shorten the
length of time they last. Be sure to tell your cancer care team about any
symptoms or side effects that bother you so they can help you manage them.

Talking to a new doctor: At some point after your cancer is found and treated, you may find yourself in the office of a new doctor who does not know about your cancer. You need to be able to give your new doctor the exact details of your cancer and treatment. Make sure you have this information handy and always keep copies for yourself:

Copies of your pathology reports from any biopsies or surgeries

Copies of imaging tests (CT or MRI scans, etc.), which can usually be stored on a CD, DVD, etc.

If you had surgery, a copy of your operative report

If you were in the hospital, a copy of the discharge summary that doctors prepare when patients are sent home

If you had radiation treatment, a summary of the type and dose of radiation and when and where it was given

If you had chemo, a list of the drugs, drug doses, and when you took them

It is also important to keep health insurance. Tests and doctor visits cost a lot, and even though no one wants to think of their cancer coming back, this could happen.